Half Breed
by BubblyMeTiffany
Summary: She was different, no matter what anybody said. Society disowned her, she's an outcast. (AU, Everlark)
1. Chapter 1

**Story based off a song called "Half-Breed" by Cher. My dad's got a bunch of songs and I stumbled upon this song, instantly an idea sprung to life in my head and now I am sharing it with you.**

**This is an AU where Katniss Everdeen is half Cherokee.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the song or Hunger Games**  
_

There was once a Indian man, his name Atohi Everdeen, not that he ever used the last name. He lived somewhere in the South near Georgia, with his family. Atohi embraced the Cherokee culture, it was his life and he was happy to live it.

Then, at the age of twenty, Atohi met a girl. A white girl, a forbitten fruit. Her name was Lucy, and Lucy snuck on the reserve, Atohi found her while hunting. After nearly shooting her with his bow, Atohi offered her lunch. Rabbit cooked over a fire, nothing new for the young man but Lucy seemed hesitant. Atohi sensed this and asked why, this sent Lucy into telling him stories of outside Indian life. Super-markets, hospitals, TV, video games, and other daily things she used daily. Soon, the two spent every weekend together camping under the stars and discussing their differences.

But neither of their families approved of this relationship, which meant when Atohi asked the white girl's hand in marriage, the two were disowned from both sides. Leaving the young couple alone to figure out life by themselves.

They had a daughter, Katniss, the baby was a disgrace to her family but her parents fought to keep her sheltered from insults that the community sent their way. At only the tender age of two, Katniss found herself fatherless after her uncles on her mother's side beat Atohi to death. They were sent to jail, but his death brought on grief and Lucy had nobody to turn to in this time.

Lucy married again, she didn't love the man but her savings had just about run out. Cray Hammer, a white man with a drinking problem, was Katniss' new step-father. He loathed the young girl and even at three she could tell because every time Lucy left to the store Cray was not the nicest babysitter.

The only thing he had going for him was the marks didn't show.

It wasn't until Katniss was in second grade, when the teacher was teaching them history and said something about the Indians being driven out of America when some girl in the back commented that "they missed one." Katniss sunk lower in the chair as the class laughed, that was the day she learned she was different.

The years went on and after returning to school one day Katniss heard news her mother was pregnant, and that it was girl. Excited, the eleven year old ran upstairs to her room only to get caught by a drunken Cray's hand. He stunk of booze and leaned over, telling the girl that her mother is no good. She tried to free herself of his grip but his dragged the young girl toward her bedroom and threw Katniss on her bed before kicking the door closed behind himself.

Then next day she covered up her tears well, at school not one teacher asked why she was vomiting so much. The usual jokes cut deeper as kids pointed to her and laughed. It was then Katniss turned her emotions to stone.

It was two years later, when she was thirteen, she nearly cried in relief when Cray found out she no longer couldn't get pregnant and wouldn't touch her anymore. Of course he could turn to Prim now, but Cray didn't because Prim was his sweet, normal daughter. People used Katniss because she was a half-breed. Cray wouldn't hurt a normal girl.

Katniss drifted off, becoming a loner and spending most of her time in the woods with a bow and arrow. She'd shoot rabbits, cutting of their fur and feet to were to school. Everyone gasped when she entered the classroom once, throwing a dead squirrel with an arrow through its eye down on Glimmer's desk. Katniss smirked as the snotty girl scream and fainted, actually half the class fainted. Cato, a tall boy in the back, stared at her in shock before pulling out his phone and calling the police.

That's how she got here, sitting in some office where some man or woman was going to question her on why she was acting like this. Katniss sighed, playing with the hem of her shirt, waiting to be called. They had told the seventeen year old she'd have to do something about her actions, if not they'd lock her up in a padded cell and label her as insane.

But is that any different then being called a freak your whole life? Not really.

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**Ok, wow. That was really intense. Now you all got a backstory, sad isn't it? I wasn't going to have Cray hurt her in that way but it'll help later in the story when a certain blue-eyed baker comes in. Sorry for any mistakes, I check my work.**

**Be patient and review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two of my second Hunger Games fic, YAY! Thanks for the reviews so far :)**

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Katniss looked up as the woman called her name, ushering her into a small room with mahogany desk that screamed upper-class. The woman herself looked like a clown, her face painted with too much make up and green hair up in a neat bun. She smiled at Katniss as she sat down and the girl sat sloppily in the sofa across the desk from her.

"Hello Miss..." the woman paused a minute reading over some notes before looking back up at her and finishing in a cheerful voice, "Katniss Hammer."

"Katniss Everdeen." She corrected in a monotone, earning a curious look from this lady with no sense of fashion at all.

"It clears says here that your last name is Hammer." She tells her.

"Well," Katniss sighs, " I'm changing it back as soon as I'm old enough, so it's Everdeen."

The woman only nods, completely confused, "OK then, I'm Effie Trinket, head of the CBTT."

"CBTT... whats that?" Katniss questions, tugging nervously on the sleeves of her dark blue sweater. The middle of winter had been so cold in Michigan that it still is sweater weather in late spring, but Katniss is not complaining because a baggy sweater is the most comfortable thing to exist.

"CBFTT, or the Capitol Board for Troubled Teens. Sweetie I'm so sorry you had to travel miles to get here but you'll see, this will turn your whole life around." Effie chirped, clasping her hands together before continuing, "You no longer have to shoot poor, cute animals to vent out your anger!"

Katniss followed the lady's line of vision to the many rabbit feet hanging around her neck, almost six. The teenager held in a laugh, if only this Effie could she her dozens that wait at home. "Their just animals." Katniss protests, reaching up to hold a fluffy white paw in her left hand.

"Oh no!" Effie says shocked, "You should not be killing little bunnies anymore! The forest reserve ban hunting a lot time ago, which is why you're here and in trouble."

Katniss shrugs, "What do they want, me to pick up trash or something?"

"No, no. You'll be helping out one of our many partners, they'll help you build good manners and habits." Effie explains, pulling out a folder and flipping through sheets before placing her finger on one, "How about raising geese?"

"No." Katniss replied, crossing her arms, raising any type of animal was out of the question.

The woman looked annoyed but continues through the book and holds it's up for Katniss to see, "We have a wide variety of programs, animal care, hair styling, writing, even fishing!" Effie tells her, "Maybe you'd like to try one of our newer ones?"

"Surprise me." Katniss says but quickly adds, "As long as it doesn't involve animals."

**~BMT~**

Katniss looked up at the sign, in simple, plain red read Mellark Bakery.

She could have done something much more to her liking if only she hadn't told the woman to pick for her, the same woman that was walking through the doors underneath the sign Katniss is staring at.

"Mr. Mellark!" Effie greets, hugging the man in a friendly way as he greets her back and they discuss little things like family and weather for a minute before Effie turns to Katniss, who now had joined her inside the warm bakery. "This here is Katniss Hammer- I mean- Everdeen."

"Nice to meet you Katniss, I'm James." He introduces himself and Katniss can't get her mind of how much he looks like Cray and refuses to shake his hand when he extents his toward her. She instantly is defensive even though this man wears a smile and smells like fresh bread instead of beer.

The man's hand falls to his side and his smile disappearing before the sound of footsteps alerts them that somebody else has entered the room.

The boy who had came through the front seems shy as he stops in mid-step to look over the group, he moves again this time heading toward the back door.

"Peeta!" Mr. Mellark calls him over before he dash off to somewhere else, " Come meet Katniss, she'll be staying with us through the summer."

The boy named Peeta nods, his blonde hair falling in his blue eyes as he does. "Hello." he greets quietly, "I'm Peeta."

Katniss stays silent because this is probably the first time a boy her age has talked to her in a polite way, and Mr. Mellark is still standing next to her and her nerves have yet to calm down. Effie nudges her side before raising a drawn-on eyebrow suggestively, Katniss blushes and for then on stares at her boots.

~BMT~

"If that's everything then I'll leave you to get settled in." Mr. Mellark says before leaving the guest bedroom. Katniss sits on the oversized bed that also has her two suitcases on it. The oldest Mellark had been surprised by her lack of luggage, but she had explained she isn't exactly a girly-girl. Which he said is a good thing.

Because all summer she is stuck in a house with only men.

Mr. Mellark seems nice enough, he told her about how he always wanted a daughter, which is why the room she's sitting in now is completely pink. His wife died before they could have one though, so the emptiness is now a guest room for the kid's who end up like her. And it turns out she's the first guest from CBTT here.

She would have spent the day in that room, but the smell of dinner caused the teenager to cautiously tip-toe downstairs to the first floor kitchen. The family lived behind and above the bakery, the back held the living room and kitchen while all the bathrooms were upstairs with the four bedrooms. The completely white kitchen had three people, one that Katniss knew was Mr. Mellark and another his shy son Peeta, but the other had darker hair and seemed older than Peeta.

The wooden floorboard creaked under her weight, the boys turned in surprise and the older son recovered from the shock of seeing a stranger in their home and offered Katniss a small smile.

She waved awkwardly, not trusting her voice. Katniss didn't like change, and moving in with complete strangers is a big change. Mr. Mellark told her that dinner would be ready soon and for her to go wait in the living room.

Katniss sat stiffly on the tan leather couch before reaching down to the coffee table to grab the remote. She flipped through the stations before stopping on a competitive hunting event, the man on the screen was holding up a big buck when somebody spoke behind her.

"Did the buttons get stuck?" Peeta asked, walking closer and sitting next to her.

"No." Katniss showed him the remote, "I just like these shows."

"Oh, it's just that none of the girls at my school like hunting and fishing... You're different." He added the last partly barely above a whisper. Katniss wouldn't have heard it without all her time spent tracking game. Her chest felt heavy as she stood up, walking to the stairs and up into her room without a word.

Nothing changed.

~BMT~

Mr. Mellark had brought her dinner up, asking Katniss why she hadn't stayed downstairs, but she simply lied and blamed being home-sick and he left her alone. All event Katniss daydreamed of the woods, the calming breeze and tall trees. In some ways she is home-sick, she misses the forest. Sleep came easy that night, with a full stomach and relaxing memories of shooting rabbits.

_She was running, running until her legs hurt as she looked around for a tree to climb. He was close behind, following her like she followed her game. Katniss held her breath as she grabbed the lowest branch, pulling herself up. Before reaching to climb higher a hand wrapped around her ankle and pulled her down to the forest floor._

_His breathe was unsettling as he exhaled into her ear, arm wrapped around her waist and holding her close. The drunken man's other hand roamed around as she fought to stop him, but just as his hand reached the zipper of her father's hunting jacket everything stopped and she was surrounded by darkness. Cray was gone and she could breath again._

_But then she was twelve again, sitting in a class room as Clove whispered with Glimmer and the others talked with their friends. Everyone stopped when the teacher came in, smiling and telling them good morning._

_Clove shuffled to the front of the room, handing the teacher a note before sitting down again. The teacher walked over to Katniss and kneeled down, "Katniss, you need to go to the principal's office now."_

_Katniss looked at her in disbelieve before looking at the note the teacher was holding, in bold ink it said she had punched Glimmer in the gut before class. Katniss looked over to Glimmer as she held her stomach in fake pain and Clove held in laughter. Katniss walked away without arguing._

_Cray picked her up, screaming about how he had to take a vacation day to get her. His eyes met her's in the review mirror as they pulled in the driveway, his full of anger as her's met his with fear and hurt. He didn't care, no matter how much she protested as they walked inside. Cray didn't even lead her upstairs before slamming her head against the wall, pulling at her jeans as blood dripped down her forehead._

Katniss woke up screaming, her eyes watery. She felt arms shaking her awake gently, but as the concerned face of Mr. Mellark came into view it only made her fight his hands off. He let go, backing up where Peeta and the older boy stood in pajamas. Her wide eyes flickered between them all, suddenly very aware that all she had on was a plain white bra and sweatpants. Katniss pulled the sheets to cover her chest and Mr. Mellark spoke up.

" I heard screaming and came to check on you." he told her, "Once I got to your door Peeta and Rye were already standing there."

Katniss' grip on the sheet loosened at his words, nobody had ever woke her up from nightmares before. Her mother didn't care after falling into depression not long after re-marrying, Cray couldn't care less, and Prim was too young.

"Are you ok?" Peeta asked, his hair sloppy and eyes half closed but he looked worried.

She wanted to say yes, to lay back down and stay awake until morning like always. But Katniss shook her head, hot tears running down her face and just like that all the boys were at her side.

"What happened?" the one Katniss had figured out is named Rye asked, he certainly had no idea what to do. None of the them did, they all looked like lost puppies as Katniss sobbed into her blanket.

Katniss couldn't believe it, she'd never cry in front of people. This was reserved for the middle of the night in darkness, no witnesses. But here she was, crying like a baby. No matter how hard she tried to stop them the damn emotions still came through.

"I don't know." Mr. Mellark answered his son as his hand reached up to wipe away some tears off her face. Katniss tensed, memories of Cray doing the same thing flooding her mind and she found herself scrambling out of bed and onto the floor. Knees up to her chest she calmed her crying, finally stopping the tears.

"I'm sorry." Mr. Mellark apologized and told them he was going to get her some hot chocolate, which helped both his sons when they were little.

Peeta looked more terrified then her when he sat besides her, careful not to sit to close in fear of sending her into a panic attack. "What's wrong?" he asked in the kindest voice Katniss had heard in a long time.

"N-Nothing." Her voice cracked, "I'm perfectly fine."

"Sure doesn't look like it." Rye commented from his place sitting on her bed, Peeta glared at him. The boys fought back and forth until Mr. Mellark came back and told them to shut up. The four sat on the bedroom floor, sipping hot chocolate as Rye and Peeta told Katniss stories for their childhood.

And for the first time in years, Katniss Everdeen felt safe.

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**Look at that, that ending is just so cute. Now before people start telling me that Katniss is OOC, I'll explain.**

**Katniss Everdeen has had a hard life. The reason she has nightmares in the books is because of the games. But there are no games in my fanfic, so I had to think of something equally as bad. After Cray stopped touching her, Katniss created a shell, a shell so nobody could ever get close to her again. She learned to defend herself. The ending which you just read is only the first part of the complex egg that is Katniss starting to crack.**

**Reviewers are very, very kind people.**

**I didn't check this chapter really so sorry for mistakes! **


	3. Chapter 3

**ALERT! If you should know this is changing to First person POV.**

Oh wow, I fucked up.

This is the only thing on my mind during breakfast, because Mr. Mellark and his sons look ready to pass out. They all stayed up with me last night, I tried to force them back to bed but none of them wanted to leave me. This is what happens when you break in front of people, they convince themselves they can help.

It really only makes it worst for me.

Because now, not only do I feel bad for myself, but these almost strangers who stayed up watching Netflix with me since one in the morning. I barely can eat and the older brother (I think his name is Rye) had noticed.

"What? Peeta's cooking not good enough for you?" He teased, pointing to the un-touched bacon and eggs on my plate. I hadn't even taken a bite, too depressed to even think of food at the moment.

"Rye..." Mr. Mellark addresses his son in a warning tone, " Don't you start."

"What?" He asks innocently, "I just thought maybe she'd like some squirrel"

"Shut up, Rye." Peeta inter-ups, glaring at him. I try to laugh but it doesn't come, instead my voice is caught in my throat as I realize something. They know everything about my weird hunting habits. They know I'm not normal.

Last night was not kindness, it was pity.

I storm out of the kitchen, nearly knocking other my chair while getting up, and run down the hall until finding the bakery entrance. After looking around, I find a small clean supplies closet next to the industrial sized fridge.

And, just like years ago after school, I slip inside and sink to the floor. Hugging myself but not crying. Instead I focus on planning how to avoid three people who I will be sharing a house with all summer.

It had to have been an hour before I hear footsteps, but they're uneven meaning the person must have a limp. I pray they don't open the door but it goes unanswered as the dark closet lights up and the door creaks open.

"Katniss?" It's the youngest Mellark, Peeta. He walks in the cramped space before closing the door behind him, looking at me like I'm a sick animal who may run off at the smallest noise or touch.

"What do you want?" I snap, a bit angry because he hadn't even asked if I wanted him here.

"I... We were worried about you." He mumbles, "Rye got his ass handed to him by dad, if it makes you feel better." I see his smirk in the dark and can't help but smile myself.

I decide to lighten the mood before this turns into me yelling like a crazy person, "I have a question, why are all the children in your family named after bread?"

Peeta scoffs, "Baker's family." I laugh and he continues, "My turn..."

'Oh no, here come the questions.' I think with a sigh of defeat before he can even ask whatever he wants to.

"... What's your favorite color?"

Color? my favorite color? I'm a bit disappointed, who asks a strange girl who moved in yesterday and has a foggy background what her favorite color is? Peeta's a teenage boy for crying out loud, I could of at least hoped for 'What's your cup size?'

"Green, like the trees in spring." I answer, still utterly confused on why he chose that question.

"I like orange, like the sunset." Through the dark I see his white teeth formed in a grin, mind distance in some memory from his childhood. Eventually he snaps out of it and continues our little game, "Your turn."

"What's up with the limp?"

"Oh." He sounds surprised, "I broke my leg as a baby, never healed correctly so I've limped ever since."

"At least you weren't dropped on your head like your brother." I joke.

"Yeah, Rye got dropped at least once." He agrees, laughing before asking me another question. I'm surprised to hear it since the best he could think of before was what was my favorite color, "What was your nightmare about?"

I pause for a good minute or two, staring at the grey floor under me before talking, "Stuff."

He laughs, "'Stuff' is not an answer."

"Well, we never set any rules so everything goes." I protest, "Stuff is my final answer."

We could of spent hours in there, talking like good friends and joking like immature idiots. But the door opens and Mr. Mellark stares at us in shock, "Oh thank God." He lets out a breath he must of been holding in, "I thought you two were having sex."

I almost die from laughing so hard as Peeta's face turns a scarlet red.

**Oh. My. God.**

**FLUFF! Goodness I need that, Everlark feelings have been building up for a while and that WAS just so good to get off my chest. How'd everyone like it? Was Katniss' POV a good choice?**

**Until next update God Bless all my little cupcakes.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'M SORRY! Ugh, look how long this went without an update! God, I need to focus more. I've been on Tumblr a lot so sorry about the wait but I how you like this chappy.**

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Three days to get settled in, Mr. Mellark had told me this shortly after finding me and Peeta in the closet, and as soon as that time is up I'm required to work in the bakery. That's the deal, the Mellark's put me back on track and I thank them by baking.

Which, it turns out, I'm not very good at.

Peeta takes on the job of being my teacher, which means we'll be seeing each other a lot more. Today, with only one day left for goofing off, Peeta forces me to learn the "proper" way to frost a cupcake.

"Katniss!" He gets my attention, waving the frosting bag in front of my face until I shove it away.

"What?"

"You weren't listening to me." He pouts, then I notice the small baked treat sitting on the counter with a picture perfect point of pink butter-cream on top. A minute ago it had been bare, I must have missed his lesson.

"Peeta," I sigh his name, "It's a cupcake, who cares about how the stupid butter-cream looks. Everyone eats that stuff first anyway."

"Katniss," He mocks the way I said his name, " This bakery is known for perfection."

"Well I'm known for imperfection." I smirk, because this statement could not be truer. In school, my projects were and still are horrible and I can't even try something that requires skill. Archery is different, that's talent.

Peeta lets out a huff of annoyance, sending his bangs up and away from his eyes, I can't help but stare. "Katniss, you have to at least try."

"Nope, I'm not into cooking. Never have and never will." I tell him, snatching up his perfect cupcake and taking a very un-ladylike bite.

_**~BMT~**_

Turns out I was wrong, because the next day I'm watching Peeta pound dough and find it very distracting each time his arm flexes, showing off muscles that normally are hidden. Also it seems as if tight white tee-shirts are a favorite of his while doing this job.

Yes, I have started to form a fondness for baking... Or maybe the baker.

I shake my head, walking away from the kitchen door so I'm not caught watching him like an idiot. I find myself in the front of a tray of cupcakes, Peeta had made them special for me to practice, and I haven't frosted a single one.

Giving up on watching Peeta, I pick up the icing bag filled with baby blue frosting and get to work. The first two look like crap, but the third looks have decent. But this is Mellark Bakery, they need perfection. I roll my eyes.

The uneven footsteps echo in the empty kitchen then stop, I glance over my shoulder and-

Damn. Wait, make that hot damn.

Peeta's by the oven, the glowing fire from inside making him sweat a bit before he grabs the towel on his belt and wipes it away. I can't even focus on his hands but instead every other thing about him. His eyes and the way the blue has reflections of flames in them, Peeta's broad chest and how it moves a little with every movement of his arms...

"Katniss?" It's Rye, snapping me back to reality and making me turn my head away to see him leaning against the door frame leading to the front of the shop, "See something you like?"

"No..." I reply before following his line of vision to see I had squeezed the icing bag too hard and covered the whole cupcake in too much butter-cream. "Oh..."

Rye laughs, causing Peeta to glance over at us. "Maybe you'd do better in the front."

I follow Rye toward the line of waiting customers, but before we leave I can't help but notice the jealous look Peeta gives to his older brother.

**_~BMT~_**

The bed in my room seems so much softer after standing all day, dealing with rude customers and nagging kids begging for free samples. I never thought I'd prefer frosting cupcakes to taking orders.

Dinner was nice, lamb stew with mashed potatoes that Peeta made. Rye kept his mouth shut under the watchful eye of Mr. Mellark, but I couldn't help but feel that they saw me differently, did they know why I was such a freak? Did that Effie tell them?

A pang of hurt hit me when I realize that Peeta may know. The only person to treat me as normal could have known this whole time, maybe he just felt guilty that I was alone in my hometown, is that why he talked to me?

I shake my head of negative thoughts, Peeta was too nice to do that. Sleep comes even easier tonight as my eyes close and I grow to regret even getting in bed when the nightmare starts.

_I was running, running until my legs hurt as I looked around for a tree to climb. He was close behind, following me like I followed my game. I held her breath as she grabbed the lowest branch, pulling myself up. Before reaching to climb higher a hand wrapped around my ankle and pulled me down to the forest floor._

_His breath was unsettling as he exhaled into my ear, arm wrapped around my waist and holding me close. The drunken man's other hand roamed around as I fought to stop him, but just as his hand reached the zipper-_

"Katniss?"

His quiet, concerned filled voice broke me out of the hellish nightmare, calling out like a lighthouse in the storm. At first I'm stunned, the image of Cray has melted into darkness and I hear Peeta say my name again.

When I open my eyes, their met with a pair of blue ones that seem to glow in the dark room, Peeta blonde hair is messy and he looks like he just woke up. I blink twice, unsure if he's really there or not but both times I open my eyes and see his worried face.

"I was walking pass your door to get some water when I heard you talking... Katniss, are you ok?"

I nod, "Yeah, just a nightmare." I tend to mumble in my sleep, it would wake Prim up when she was a baby, which makes me wonder what he heard.

Peeta still doesn't seemed convinced, He starts shuffling his feet over to the door, "Ok... I'll just go back to bed then."

A feeling of dread washes over me and before I can think the words pour from my mouth, "Wait!" he turns back to me and raises a pale eyebrow, "Don't go."

"Really?" He's surprised, I nod again slowly. I make room for him on the bed, laying face up as he crawls in next to me. "What if somebody sees us?"

I pause, what if somebody did see us? Would Mr. Mellark send me packing? He doesn't seem like that kind of man. I shudder thinking about returning home, I've only been here a couple of days and I already don't want to go back. "Don't leave." I blurt out, cursing how I cannot control my words, "Stay with me."

I can tell Peeta's smiling when he replies, "Always."

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**That was cute, hope everyone liked it. Follow me on Tumblr, link on my profile.**


	5. Chapter 5

**this is very long and important chapter.**

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The first rays of sunshine spill into my room through the blinds, left open all night. I yawn, trying to close my eyes tight enough to block out the annoying light. I feel well rested, and partly curious why I slept all the way to morning, but then the memories of last night come forward like a semi-truck hitting me full speed.

_Peeta slept in my bed with me._

I can't stop thinking about it, this being the first memory of somebody of the opposite gender sharing sleeping so close to me. Except when one night Cray passed out next to me, his arm slug over my side kept me from leaving and I suffered through a sleepless night. But last night is different, Peeta is different.

The door creaks open and I close my eyes, not in the mood to leave the snug blankets that smell like flour and frosting. "Katniss?" it's Peeta, "Are you awake yet?" the uneven footsteps inch closer to me before they stop completely. It's quite for a whole minute before somebody uses their thumb to pry open my left eye, the one not buried in the feather pillow.

I adjust to the lighting and see Peeta's bright blue eyes and sparkling smile, greeting me and shining brighter than the morning sun. I want to laugh, because I'm foolish enough to think that maybe this could be my everyday life, Peeta waking me up and dragging me down to the bakery. But it'll never happen, three months of summer here before returning home, returning to constant insults and nasty words.

My smile deflated, I was actually starting to feel equal to a human being here.

Peeta notices my change in mood, his eyebrows are raised in question when he asks "What's wrong?" but I don't answer, instead choosing to nuzzle into the soft pillow and block out the cruel world for a few more minutes.

He has different plans though, picking me up by the waist, pulling me from the warm blankets and letting me down gently. His eyes sparkle slightly and it seems as if I'm in a fairy tale when he proudly states we have today off.

The awkwardness settles in during breakfast as Peeta cooks eggs and bacon for us, Rye, and his father. I'm completely embarrassed by this morning while he continues to act normal, smile on his face as a pair of sunny side up and strips of bacon are placed in front of me.

What are we? Friends now, I guess. Even with the little time I've spent with him the feeling of trust and companionship just radiate off him. Maybe it's because my whole life so far has been filled with pain and the overall theory I'm hated by the world has made me cling to any sign of affection?

That's what it is, I'm a needy girl seeking out attention. Peeta's the only nice person (other than Mr. Mellark and Rye) I've come to know since being here.

"Good morning!" Mr. Mellark's loud voice booms through the kitchen, making me jump in my seat. His smile reaches his eyes as the oldest Mellark sits down besides me and starts to eat his breakfast, the only different is he has no bacon because it turns out the doctor has him on a strict diet.

"Morning." both me and Peeta say it in unison. He sits down across the table, a piece of bacon hanging half out of his mouth.

"I've got great news." announces, "The bakery's closed today so, in order to bond with our new house guest, I'm taking us all out tonight!"

Peeta grins like an idiot, nodding his head happily and the rest of breakfast passes in blur of chit-chat and bad jokes. Rye doesn't join us, because according to Peeta he had been out drinking all last night. I have a whole afternoon to relax before we leave to some surprise Mr. Mellark has planned, and I plan on making use of every second of it.

Mr. Mellark rounds up the family (and me) at around 4pm, grinning like a mad man as each of us closes the car doors and look expectantly in his direction. He turns the key, making the old car roar to life. I'm sitting in the back next to Peeta, and Rye is up front with their father.

"Just tell us where we are going already." Rye whines like a five-year old, the side of his head hitting the window as the car pulls out of the driveway and starts a steady drive down the street. Today the busy town road Mellark's bakery is on seems lifeless, everybody inside due to the humid air and waiting for the sun to set to start their evening walks.

"Oh, you guys are going to love this! Just be patient, it isn't even that far away." Mr. Mellark's eyes sparkle with excitement as the car takes a slow turn to the right, the store windows with pretty dresses and overpriced jewelry keep my attention for a while before the feeling of eyes on me makes me turn.

Peeta's staring at my outfit, a white tee-shirt with lace sleeves, a pair of black shorts that reach mid-thigh, and my favorite ankle boots that are brown and hide any dirt I manage to get on them. His eyes float to my face, seeming looking at my lose braid before looking me in the eyes, "Nice outfit." he says, making both our faces turn red.

The rest of the drive is quiet, with the occasional glance in Peeta's direction or one of Mr. Mellark's rants about how were absolutely going to love this place. When we do pull into a large parking lot surrounding a square concrete building I look at him confused, but the free-standing sign next to the large glass doors answers my question of where we are before I can even ask it.

_Wild Bill's Bowling Alley and Bar_.

"What's your shoe size?" The boy with purple hair asks me, standing behind the counter for the shoe rental.  
He pops the gum in his mouth, bored and uncaring. I can't blame him though, dealing with stupid costumers and cleaning dirty shoes has to be a pretty rough job.

"7, or maybe 7 and a half?" I reply, not sure. It honestly depends on the shoe. The purple haired boy, who I now realize is wearing eye liner, sighs and hands me a pair of the ugliest shoes in the world. I'm not the kind of person who cares about looks but is yellow and pink something the maker's of this things would even think about?

When I'm sure they fit and are tightly laced up, I carry my boots over to where Mr. Mellark, Peeta, and Rye are trying to fill in our names for the score board above alley 2, the same one Mr. Mellark requested. Once each of our names are up there, I hold back a snort.

_dad, pita, rye, catnip. _

The letters are as clear as day, shining brightly and waiting for numbers to accompany them. I manage to hold the laughter threatening to escape my mouth back, but one look at Rye almost dying of laughter and I lose it. The whole room turns to look at us, making me laugh harder.

Eventually we stop, letting Mr. Mellark take his turn in peace, which turns out is good because he gets a strike. Peeta goes next, hitting 9 pins but picking up the spare, Rye only hits three and stalks off to order pizza, and finally it's my turn.

"Don't twist your hand!" Peeta offers a bit of advice as I start lining up my ball with the pins, letting the heavy round object roll straight down the alley, until turn a bit and missing the pins by not even an inch.

"Gutter-ball." Rye teases, putting down a large cheese pizza he must have came back with during my turn. I glare at him with the ball returns, then try again. The ball rolls straight and I earn a spare.

"You were saying?" I tease, grabbing a slice of obviously out of the freezer pizza. He huffs and states I have beginners luck while Mr. Mellark knocks down all the pins again, making me wonder how much he plays.

Peeta grabs his ball next, sending the shiny blue object down the alley. It hits the left side, knocking over three pins. He grabs the ball again when it returns, biting his lip and pushing his blonde hair away from blocking the view. The ball is send down the lane again, knocking down all the remaining pins except one.

"Close, but not perfect." He says to me as Rye takes his place by the alley.

"Good enough." I laugh, taking a large bite of pizza and washing it down with some water before checking out the scoreboard. Rye hit one pin this time, but he could still save it on the second turn.

He doesn't, pouting like a child as he walks pass us into the game room, "This game totally sucks! It's rigged!" Rye's voice fades out the farther he gets from us. But I can't seem to care, because on the wall behind us in a chart of bowling tournaments. Today it's the Rebels vs. the... oh no.

There is bold, black ink is the word I'd dread to see anywhere. **Peacekeepers**.

"Katniss?" Peeta and Mr. Mellark call at the same time, making me look at them. "Are you ok?" Mr. Mellark asks before adding, "You look like you've seen a ghost." I want to tell him I've seen far worst than a ghost, more like the a demon if you ask me.

But I don't, on shaky feet I walk over and grab my bowling ball, barely holding it with my trembling hands but manage to throw it toward the pins. It doesn't even make it half way before falling in the gutter, at the second turn is not much better.

Peeta looks worried, Mr. Mellark seems worried, but I can't bring myself to care because at any moment Cray and his bowling team and going to come trotting through that door. Am I really that close to home? And by home I mean the woods behind Cray's house, because that devil's pit will never be my home.

"I-I need to use the restroom." I tell Peeta before walking toward the sign that tells me where it is. My palms are sweating, I have an awful headache all of a sudden, and just the thought of seeing Cray makes me sick to my stomach. I'm too caught up in thought though, and when I walk straight into somebody I move back to apologize and that's when I read the person's shirt. In a hauntingly similar font the letters spell out the very name I've come to hate on the left side of the man's chest.

"Katniss?" Cray asks, like he can't believe I'm here. He probably didn't think I would be. "Isn't this a surprise? My favorite step-daughter is here, and with who?" Cray gaze drops lower and _I really feel like throwing up now_. It's been years since he looked at me like that, why the sudden change? Then I realize, _my clothes_. I never wore shorts around him, and my now my mouth is starting to taste like salt.

"Probably a boy." Another teammate of his calls out, laughing. I can't look to see who it is, Cray is blocking my whole view. His breath smells like rum, making my stomach turn.

"Is that true?" He asks. Do I hear... jealousy in his voice? Anger? I shake my head, because I can't help but think it's better if he doesn't know about Peeta or Mr. Mellark. "Oh, I don't think you're telling the truth," he smiles, "but that's ok."

"I h-have to go." I mumble, turning away from him.

"And Katniss," He calls after me, I stop but don't turn around, "Maybe when you come back we can... reconnect a little."

I can't help it, the pizza I've kept down makes a reappearance as soon as Cray and his teammates leave to their alley. A little kid somewhere to my left makes a noise of disgust as I dry heave for a minute, people stare and other ask if I'm ok. I stumble into the women's restroom, but not before catching sight of Peeta running after me.

And as I sink down on the cold, yellowish tiles the hidden meaning behind Cray's words makes my world spin.

**Very important chapter, this is where the story turns guys. Please review, follow, and favorite. Extra long chapter because you all are so awesome! I worked on this during a time I was suppose to be doing a report on Judaism so I'll go work on that now.**


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